Lance Armstrong today underlined his "hunger" to return to competitive cycling three days before his long-awaited comeback from retirement.
Lance Armstrong today underlined his "hunger" to return to competitive cycling three days before his long-awaited comeback from retirement.
Armstrong has chosen the six-stage Tour Down Under, held between January 20 and 25, as his comeback event following a decision in September to rejoin the professional cycling peloton.
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The 37-year-old, who famously battled cancer before going on to claim a record seven consecutive Tour de France victories from 1999-2005, said raising awareness of the disease was key to his decision to return.
But he laughed off one reporter's comparison to "Jesus coming back to race a bike," saying he was principally motivated by the desire to compete and win.
"I have a job to do and my job is to race and train hard, take this (cancer) message around the world, and it all kicks off here," said the American, who looked relaxed and fit as he spoke with reporters.
"My reasons for coming back are twofold. First, I wanted to take the Livestrong (foundation) message around the world and talk about the burden of this disease.
"Approximately 27.5 million people have died from cancer - a staggering number when you think about it - since I've been off the bike only three-and-a-half years.
"So, that's the main reason. That also requires me to be a professional athlete. This is a hard sport, bike racing is probably one of the hardest in the world, and you need to have a passion and a will to do that, and I discovered last summer that I do."
While known for dominating the world's biggest bike race, Armstrong is not generally expected to go out all guns blazing in a bid for success over the six-stage race around South Australia.
However, the Texan warned the 133-strong peloton not to rule out seeing him off the front of the pack.
"A big objective is just to be back on the bike racing, but if the opportunity is there I will take it. No bluffing, no hiding. If it feels good ... then I will attack."
Armstrong is scheduled to take in a number of spring races before tackling the Giro d'Italia for the first time in May/June and then July's Tour de France.
Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel, who helped orchestrate Armstrong's seven Tour triumphs, said his protege was on better form than ever.
"His form is a lot better at this moment than in the years between 1999 and 2005," he said.
"There's a very reasonable explanation - he started intensive training in July, and not December as he used to.
"It's a good way to start. But the question is how good that condition is now and how far is it to his maximum condition?"
Armstrong said he never thought when he stepped off his bike in 2005 on the Champs Elysees in Paris that he would be back.
In the intervening years he has competed in marathons, but he said it had felt good to lead the life of a non-professional athlete.
"I'm relaxed because I'm having fun. I can't say 2004 and 2005 was like that, it had became a bit more of a job," he said.
As for an eighth win at the Tour de France, Armstrong left fans guessing.
"I will answer the question in March, April or May. I can't answer it right now."
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